Today we’d like to introduce you to Neal Hopson.
Hi Neal, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
If it weren’t for God, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Any level of success, accomplishment, or recognition I’ve experienced is only because of His grace. When I look back over my life, I can see how God was working through every opportunity, every disappointment, and every unexpected turn to prepare me for what I’m doing today.
But the story didn’t start on a stage, behind a microphone, or in front of thousands of people. It started in North County, St. Louis, Missouri.
Growing up, two of the things I loved most were my family and tennis. I was raised in a family of faith and entrepreneurship. I’m the youngest of four children, and my parents modeled what it meant to work hard, sacrifice, and pursue excellence.
My mom stayed home to raise us while my dad worked full-time, and together they owned and operated multiple beauty salons and cosmetology schools. Watching my parents build businesses while raising a family taught me lessons that would shape the rest of my life.
Excellence was the standard in our home. We didn’t always have every resource at our disposal, but we learned to do the very best with what we had. More importantly, my parents helped us see beyond what was in our own backyard. They exposed us to opportunities and possibilities that we might never have imagined for ourselves.
One of those opportunities was tennis.
My siblings and I began playing through a free inner-city tennis program called M.A.T.C.H. The program was created by adults who wanted to expose young people of color to a sport they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to experience. These individuals generously invested their time, knowledge, and resources into kids like us, teaching us the game at no cost.
What started as an opportunity quickly became a passion.
I began traveling with the program, competing in tournaments, and developing a genuine love for the sport. As my brother and I continued competing in junior tournaments, our rankings began to rise, and the possibility of playing professionally became more than just a childhood dream.
I attended public school until my freshman year of high school, when I enrolled at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis. My brother attended MICDS, and we both continued pursuing competitive tennis.
At the time, many of the nation’s top junior players were relocating to places like Florida, California, and Texas to train year-round. If I wanted to see how far tennis could take me, I knew I needed to be willing to make some sacrifices.
So, during my sophomore year, my mom and I moved to Houston, Texas, where I could homeschool and focus on tennis. My dad and the rest of our family remained in St. Louis, and we would travel back to visit when we could.
The objective was simple: Go pro.
I spent those years traveling across the country, competing in national junior tournaments, training, and chasing the dream of becoming a professional tennis player.
Eventually, it was time to return home. I moved back to St. Louis, reenrolled at Westminster Christian Academy, and completed my high school education early.
Although my dream was to turn professional immediately after high school, I knew I wasn’t quite ready. I also valued getting an education, so I began exploring opportunities to play college tennis.
I was recruited by San Diego State University to play Division I tennis and committed to the school and its coach. But shortly before the school year began, I learned that the coach was leaving to take a position at the University of Hawaii.
Suddenly, I had another decision to make.
I ultimately decided to stay closer to home and attend Lindenwood University, where I played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles alongside my brother. We both graduated a year early, still hoping to pursue professional tennis.
But that dream would be short-lived.
We competed in professional Futures tournaments, hoping to earn our way onto the tour, but we never quite made it.
That was a difficult season for me because tennis had become so much more than a sport. It was part of my identity. It was what I had spent most of my life pursuing, and it was what people knew me for.
Looking back, I realize that my identity, my expectations, and even the expectations of others made it difficult to let go of something that I had invested so much of my life into.
I knew God was leading me in a different direction, but I wasn’t ready to release the dream.
As I traveled from tournament to tournament, I saw players living out of their cars, struggling to earn enough money to make it to the next competition. I admired their dedication, but I also recognized that I needed to begin earning a living.
So I took a job in car sales at Mercedes-Benz.
There was just one problem.
The biggest sales day of the week was Saturday. And the biggest tournament day of the week was Saturday.
I had to make a choice.
Eventually, I made the difficult decision to let tennis go.
At the time, it felt like I was walking away from the very thing I had spent my entire life preparing for. What I didn’t realize was that God had been preparing me for something much bigger.
Developed in the Dark
While I was pursuing tennis, I had also spent years serving at my church, Church on the Rock.
I served in just about every area you could imagine: youth ministry, young adults, media, sound, video production, creative arts, and on-stage experiences. I was learning how to communicate, lead, create, and connect with people.
I didn’t know it at the time, but those years of serving were developing skills that would eventually become the foundation of my career.
At Mercedes-Benz, I was learning sales, customer service, relationship-building, and how to create memorable experiences for people. At church, I was learning how to engage audiences, communicate a message, and use creativity to make an impact.
During my junior year of college, I had even taught myself how to DJ. I began using music, dance, and creative elements to engage audiences at church and other events.
Christian hip-hop became one of my passions. At the time, it wasn’t nearly as widely recognized as it is today, but I loved the music, the culture, and the message behind it.
I didn’t realize it then, but all these seemingly unrelated experiences were beginning to connect.
The skills I was developing in private were preparing me for opportunities I couldn’t yet see in public.
From the Dealership to the Airwaves
St. Louis had a popular Christian radio station, 99.1 JOY FM, and I learned that they were preparing to launch a new Christian hip-hop station called BOOST RADIO.
My wife came across an article about the station, showed it to me, and I immediately knew I wanted to be part of it.
I applied as quickly as I could.
There was just one small detail: I had absolutely no radio experience.
But I did know music. I understood culture. I knew how to connect with people, and most importantly, I had a passion for inspiring and encouraging others to find hope in Jesus.
After a series of interviews, somehow, someway, I got the job!
The skills I had developed through years of serving in church and working in sales helped me connect with audiences over the airwaves. I understood that radio wasn’t simply about talking between songs. It was about building relationships, creating moments, and helping people feel like they were part of something bigger.
I became one of the primary personalities and faces of BOOST RADIO, and we began building the station from the ground up.
Nearly 13 years later, BOOST has grown into a nationally syndicated Christian hip-hop radio brand, and we’ve consistently reached the top of the hip-hop radio rankings in St. Louis, competing with mainstream stations.
Think about that. A Christian hip-hop station competing at the highest level with mainstream hip-hop radio.
It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful to have played a role in something that has impacted so many lives.
But God wasn’t finished connecting the dots.
When the Gifts Started Coming Together
As my radio career continued to grow, so did the requests for me to host and produce live events.
I had a background in dance and choreography. I was a live DJ, a radio personality, an emcee, and a speaker.
For a while, I wondered how all these different gifts and experiences could possibly fit together.
Was I supposed to choose just one?
What I eventually discovered was that I didn’t necessarily have to separate them. There was a common thread running through everything I did.
I knew how to connect with people, create experiences, and communicate messages that moved people.
Whether I was behind a microphone, on a stage, DJing an event, or speaking to an audience, my desire was the same: I wanted people to leave better than they came.
That’s when my company, One Goal Global, began to take shape.
While working full-time in radio, I continued building the business on the side. Organizations began inviting me to host conferences, DJ events, speak to their teams, and help create meaningful experiences for their audiences.
The requests kept coming, and my travel schedule continued to grow.
What started as individual opportunities was becoming a business with a clear purpose.
I wasn’t simply interested in entertaining people. I wanted to engage them, inspire them, and create moments that could have a lasting impact.
By the end of 2023, I knew it was time to take another step of faith.
I felt God leading me to pursue One Goal Global full-time.
It wasn’t an easy decision because I still had a tremendous passion for BOOST RADIO and its mission. Thankfully, we were able to create an arrangement that allowed me to remain on the air as a contracted radio personality while giving me the flexibility to grow my company, travel, and pursue new opportunities.
Once again, what initially seemed like a difficult decision became an opportunity for something greater.
Relationships, Leadership, and Living with Purpose
One of the greatest blessings of my journey has been the people God has placed in my life.
My longtime friend and mentor, Chris Robinson, began investing in me when I was a teenager. His wisdom, encouragement, and leadership have played an important role in helping me grow personally and professionally. He was also instrumental in encouraging me to take that next step of faith into entrepreneurship.
I’ve learned that you never outgrow the need for great relationships, wise counsel, and people who are willing to challenge you to become better.
Today, I have the privilege of working in both ministry and corporate environments. One day, I may be serving alongside some of the world’s largest ministries, and the next, I may be sitting with business executives, thought leaders, professional athletes, or influential leaders discussing how to create meaningful impact.
God has opened doors for me to work with incredible organizations, restaurants, sports teams, ministries, and global brands.
I’ve been blessed to serve, learn from, and influence hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
But regardless of the room I’m in, I try to approach every opportunity with the same mindset:
How can I add value?
I’m always looking for opportunities to learn, ask better questions, build meaningful relationships, and help others accomplish something greater than they could have accomplished on their own.
I’ve discovered that influence isn’t simply about having a platform. It’s about what you do with the platform you’ve been given.
One Goal. For Souls.
Today, through One Goal Global, we create excellent, elevated experiences that engage audiences around the world—online, in person, and on the air.
We bring together communication, creativity, entertainment, leadership, and production to help organizations create experiences that people don’t just attend, but remember.
And while the platforms and opportunities have grown, the mission has remained the same.
When I look back, I can see how every season played a role in preparing me for today.
Tennis taught me discipline, consistency, resilience, and how to perform under pressure.
Sales taught me how to build relationships, communicate value, and serve people with excellence.
The church taught me how to lead, create, communicate, and use my gifts to serve a purpose greater than myself.
Radio taught me how to connect with people consistently, even when I couldn’t see their faces.
And entrepreneurship has taught me how to bring all those experiences together to create something that can impact people around the world.
For years, I thought I was preparing to become a professional tennis player. What I didn’t realize was that God was using tennis—and everything that came after it—to prepare me for my actual calling.
Sometimes the thing you’re pursuing isn’t the ultimate purpose. It’s who you’re becoming in the process.
I’m still learning. I’m still growing. And I’m still discovering what God has in store.
But one thing I know for certain is that none of this would be possible without His grace.
The platforms may change. The opportunities may grow. The audiences may get bigger. But the purpose will always be greater than the platform.
And at the end of the day, it all comes back to one thing.
Our One Goal is For Souls.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the hardest pivots to make was the one after my short-lived tennis career. I had a vision of a thriving professional tennis career, and when it didn’t work out the way that I thought…i had to pivot and start “life” over again.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m the Founder and CEO of One Goal Global. We specialize in creating excellent, elevated experiences that engage, inspire, and impact audiences around the world. As a keynote speaker, corporate emcee, live DJ, creative producer, leadership coach, and nationally syndicated radio personality, I specialize in connecting with people and creating moments that matter. What sets me apart is my ability to blend entertainment, communication, creativity, and leadership to move people beyond just having a great experience to making a lasting impact. I’ve been blessed to work with some of the world’s most influential organizations, brands, and ministries, but what I’m most proud of is the lives we’ve been able to impact along the way. My philosophy is simple: It’s not about me; it’s about the people I’ve been entrusted to serve. At One Goal Global, our One Goal is for Souls.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My personal relationship with Jesus. My wife and 8 year old daughter. Chipotle.
The most important thing in life aren’t things, but they are relationships. And who doesn’t love some extra guac.
Contact Info:
- Email: nealhopson@gmail.com
- Instagram: @neallytime
- Facebook: Neal Hopson
- LinkedIn: Neal Hopson
- Youtube: Neal Hopson
